MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE EPIDEMIC (2005)

 

Much of BC, from the west central interior south to the Canada-US border, is in the midst of an extremely serious outbreak of the Mountain Pine Beetle.  The beetle attacks primarily Lodgepole Pine, which accounts for more than 50% of the growing stock in much of the affected area.

 

The scale of the epidemic is huge.  The overall area affected by the epidemic has expanded from an area of approximately 165,000 hectares in 1999 to about 7 million hectares of lodgepole pine stands according to the 2004 summary of Forest Health Conditions in BC,  This is an area which makes up more than 10% of the provinces total forested area in 2004.

 

The economic implications of the beetle epidemic are devastating to the province.  In 2003 the forest industry estimated that the total value of lumber products that can be produced from the affected area stands at just under $18 billion.  That number has increased.  By the time the epidemic runs its course its projected in 2013, 80% of the interiors pine is expected to be dead.  Given that forestry is a major driver of the provincial economy, future economic growth in the harder hit areas could be seriously affected due to the lack of merchantable timber.

 

The Chamber warned of the dangers of the beetle epidemic at early as 2000.  Unfortunately, the failure by the government to heed the warnings and to take the decisive action required to control and contain the problem has allowed the problem to explode into a potential environmental disaster of epidemic proportions.  While the Ministry of Forests and Ranges has recently devoted considerable resources to dealing with this epidemic there can be no doubt that decisive and dramatic action is required on an urgent basis to resolve the problem as the epidemic continues to expand at a rapid pace.    The epidemic is currently estimated to create 5 billion cubic metres of grey wood over the next one to three years.

 

THE CHAMBER RECOMMENDS

 

That the federal government continue to work with the provincial government to:

 

1. assess the expansion of the epidemic and promptly develop and implement decisive action plans to stop that expansion;

 

2. identify and implement to the maximum extent possible the use of natural methods but also consider the use of strategic and aggressive logging in infested areas and ahead of spreading infestation to prevent further spread of the Mountain Pine Beetle and create a safe environment for residents in the surrounding areas;

 

3. assess the short and long-term economic implications of the epidemic on resource-based communities throughout the province and develop plans to address the issues arising therefrom;

 

4. implement programs and incentives to recover value from damaged timber;

 

5. develop and implement forestry profiles in beetle infested areas that facilitate the best end use for the damaged wood that is forested;

 

6. cotinue discussions with the Alberta and BC governments so that strategies and resources can be combined to address the spread of the beetle infestation into Alberta; and

 

7. assess the epidemics impact on communities that are dependent on harvesting lodge-pole pine and develop economic and social strategies to diversify the economic base of the affected communities to ensure that they continue to be strong and viable communities.